UNI’s Josh Alber wrestles to 3rd; NIU’s Nolan Baker gets 6th

Sunday

Mar 4, 2018 at 10:46 PMMar 4, 2018 at 10:46 PM

Jay Taft Staff writer @jaytaft

A pair of local wrestlers — Josh Alber at the University of Northern Iowa and Nolan Baker at Northern Illinois — had their moments in their respective Division I conference championships this weekend, with one of them earning a spot on the coveted Big 12 Conference podium and the other hauling in a medal at the Mid-American Conference Championships.

“It was a pretty cool feeling, I must say,” said Alber, the four-time state high school champion from Dakota who placed third at the Big 12 championships that concluded on Sunday. “I can walk away from this one, well somewhat satisfied, I guess I could say. It’s not what I wanted, but I went for it.”

Alber takes third

Alber got his first taste of the Big 12 championships this weekend, and he came one single-leg takedown away from getting his shot at the 141-pound title. For the second time in a month, he narrowly lost to the two-time defending national champion from Oklahoma State Dean Heil. He fell 4-1 in the teams’ dual last month, and then lost 2-0 to Heil in the Big 12 semis this weekend.

“It was a great match, I just saw something and got overzealous,” Alber said of his mid-match mistake that cost him later. “One thing I know: I pushed him to the brink. He doesn’t want to wrestle me again.”

Yet he might. Alber, who won his key quarterfinal match 12-4 in dominant fashion and later won back to back to place third, has already qualified for the NCAA Championships, in Cleveland from March 15-17. The seedings and brackets come out later this week.

Baker’s memorable pin

Baker, the two-time state high school champion from Byron, moved into the starting lineup for NIU at 149 pounds midseason when he was needed, surrendering his red-shirt opportunity so that he could help the team. This weekend he did it with his first collegiate pin, and a sixth-place finish in the MAC Tournament.

“I just went into it with nothing to lose,” said Baker, the NIU freshman who earned his second win of his career in the first round of the MACs on Saturday. “Those are the matches I love.”

Baker trailed Justin Oliver of Central Michigan 16-2 late in the first period when he saw his opportunity. He took a risk, and it paid off.

“He went to turn me, again, but I saw it, and I rolled him right over, and I just locked that headlock in and never let go,” Baker said. “He fought it for about 30 seconds, but I was not letting go.”

The ref slapped the mat for the pin at 2:16, and though Baker followed that up with three straight major-decision defeats, he came away with some newly instilled confidence.

“This year showed me that I have a ton of stuff to work on,” Baker said. “But it also showed me that I can hang with these guys. … I’m super motivated for next year.”

Jay Taft: 815-987-1384; jtaft@rrstar.com; @JayTaft

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.